"Ideas to Grow With" is the theme for the Annual Western Sustainable Ag Crops and Livestock Conference set for Dec. 16 at Sidney, Neb.

The conference will cover a diverse set of topics, including good and bad bugs; making the transition to organic farming; planting annual forage mixtures for cattle; gardening for profit; the business of new ag enterprises; and solar panels.

The Western Sustainable Ag Crops and Livestock Conference was initiated by farmers who saw the need for a conference to bring research-based information to farmers and ranchers in western Nebraska about alternative and value-added agriculture, especially those looking for new ways to keep their operations sustainable, according to Nebraska Extension Educator Karen DeBoer, one of the conference organizers.

The conference will take place at Western Nebraska Community College, 371 College Drive in Sidney, from 8:45 a.m. until 4 p.m. Pre-registration is due by Dec. 8.

To download a brochure and registration form, go to the Cheyenne-Kimball-Banner County Extension website at http://ckb.unl.edu. For more information about the conference or exhibitor booths, contact Extension Educator Karen DeBoer at the Extension Office in Sidney, telephone (308) 254-4455 or email kdeboer1@unl.edu.

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Keynote speaker Jeff Bradshaw's topic is "Good Bug, Bad Bug: Can we grow the former while we decrease the latter?" According to Bradshaw, roughly 90 percent of the known insect species on the planet have some beneficial role. Yet in schools, homes and agriculture, we spend an inordinate amount of time and expense on the remaining 10 percent.

Sustainability attempts to take the long view on people, planet and profits. Therefore, in terms of sustainability in agriculture, our focus should be on the role that beneficial insects could have in improving yield while reducing inputs and input costs, according to Bradshaw. He will discuss his current research on beneficial insects in confection sunflower, dry edible beans and dryland wheat. Additionally, the successes (improved yield and reduced input costs) and challenges will be discussed.

Bradshaw is an associate professor of entomology and Extension specialist at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, stationed at the Panhandle Research and Extension Center in Scottsbluff. His research focuses on the areas of applied ecology of insects and host plant resistance, primarily on crops common to the High Plains region. He is a frequent contributor to Extension newsletters, various media outlets, and can be found bantering on Twitter (@true_bug) with other researchers, Extension professionals, and producers.

The full list of workshop topics at the Sustainable Ag conference:

Is Organic Farming for You? Presenter Martin Kleinschmit of Hartington, Neb., has been certified organic since 1993. In addition to managing his 380-acre farm, he designed and managed several organic education programs for farmers and ranchers. Topics to be discussed include: organic requirements for certification, what to do during the transition period, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Transition Incentive Program through EQIP, the economic and environmental benefits of organic farming and the hurdles to certification.

Kleinschmit, a Nebraska farmer with 50 years of experience as a sustainable farmer (24 as an organic farmer) now focuses his skills toward being retired and sharing his experiences. After 22 years of managing his 385-acre grain and livestock farm, he accepted a position with the Center for Rural Affairs Beginning Farmer/Sustainable Agriculture Project in 1993 where he designed and managed a three-year carbon management project to learn what factors affect farmers' decision to sequester soil carbon. He also designed and managed a seven-year organic education project to provide NRCS and Extension staff a basic understanding of organic rules and regulations and assist farmers/ranchers wanting to transition to organic production.

Using Annual Forage Mixtures (a.k.a. Cover Crops) for Beef Cattle: Presenter, Karla Jenkins, cow/calf specialist at the UNL Panhandle Research and Extension Center, will focus on growing annual forage mixtures in western Nebraska and how that differs from eastern Nebraska. She will also address the economics of grazing mixtures as well as projected gains.

Her research program includes finding more efficient and economical ways to produce beef cattle while sustaining the range resource. Since 2009, she has been studying limit feeding energy-dense byproducts mixed with crop residues to maintain beef cows in confinement to provide grazing deferment for range, maintain a core herd from liquidation, or as part of a system to reduce dependency on pasture. She also evaluates annual forage crops and alternative uses for crops such as field peas or sugar beets as components in beef cattle diets to improve sustainability and efficiency of cattle operations in western Nebraska.

Key Business Considerations of a New Agricultural Enterprise: Jessica Groskopf, UNL regional Extension economist, will explain how starting a new agricultural enterprise entails more than just knowing how to produce the desired good. This presentation will discuss the business considerations of a new enterprise, including initial investment, cash flow, insurance, government programs and more. Groskopf is based at the University of Nebraska Panhandle Research and Extension Center. She joined Nebraska Extension in 2012. A native of Colorado, she received a bachelor's degree in agricultural business from Colorado State University and a master's in agricultural economics from Kansas State University. Jessica, and her husband Andy, farm corn and dry edible beans north of Scottsbluff.

Organic Farming: The Rewards and Challenges: Sara Fehringer, coordinator of Organic Crop Improvement Association High Plains Chapter 2, and Dennis Demmel, organic farmer from Ogallala, will review the process of organic certification for those interested in organic farming.

Gardening for Profit: From a local panel of producers who raise produce for Farmers' Markets.

Converting to Solar Energy: Presenter Martin Kleinschmit, who has worked in the renewable energy field since 1980, built his own 9,000-watt Photo Voltaic system in 2009. Once satisfied with its output, he started his own solar business, MarLin Wind & Solar LLC, which works with residential, commercial and ag settings. He will talk about how solar PV panels work, what you need to know about net-metering, cost breakdown on a PV system, examples of solar systems, sizing your system to fit your needs and more information sources.